Trojans sweep Chillicothe in tournament opener, 3-0

Tree of Life opened tournament play in style Tuesday night, sweeping Chillicothe 3-0 by scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-22. After earning the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye, the Trojans settled in after a slow start and turned their borrowed home court into a launching point for a strong start to the 2026 postseason.

The match did not begin cleanly for either side. Both teams struggled at the service line early, and Tree of Life had to play through an uneven opening stretch before its rhythm arrived. Once it did, the Trojans began to control points with tougher serving and more confident attacking, taking the first set 25-19 and matching that score in the second. The steady edge in those first two sets gave Tree of Life the cushion it needed as the match tightened late.

Calvin Spitznagle led the attack with 13 kills, providing the kind of reliable finishing that kept Chillicothe from building momentum. Taylor Chou and Jay Payne added 10 kills apiece, giving the Trojans balance across the net and multiple answers when rallies extended. Jordan Barnett directed the offense with 21 assists, helping Tree of Life move the ball efficiently and keep its hitters in strong positions throughout the night.

Chou made perhaps the biggest all-around impact. He finished with eight aces as Tree of Life piled up 12 aces for the match, including six in the final set alone. That serving run helped define the closeout effort. With the third set more competitive than the first two, the Trojans leaned on pressure from the end line and timely points at the net to finish off the 25-22 win and complete the sweep.

For Tree of Life Christian School, the night reflected both growth and poise. The Trojans hosted their first tournament match of the season, handled an early lack of rhythm, and found a higher gear as the evening went on. A balanced attack, assertive serving, and composed finish sent Tree of Life forward with energy, and the strongest statement came late, when the Trojans delivered six aces in the final set to slam the door on Chillicothe.